Hog-nose cutter.



No. 801,471. PATENTED 0017.10, 1905. s. H. MILLER.

HOG NOSE CUTTER.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 14, 1904 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HOG-NOSE CUTTER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 10, 1905.

Application filed e b 14, 1904. Serial No. 232,689.

To all whom it may concern:

root up the ground to any considerable ex tent. This rooting is accomplished mainly through the use of two tendons which extend longitudinally along the upper side of the nose and connect with the cartilage ring or tip of the snout. By contracting and releasing these tendons the hog is enabled to effectively move the tip of his snout, wherein lies his power to root. 7

Among the salient objects of the present invention are to provide a handy tool by means of which each of these tendons can be picked up and a short section cut therefrom by a single movement or operation of the device, to provide a tool so constructed that the tendons can be thus severed without making more than a narrow skin incision which quickly heals and without disfiguring the hog, and to provide a tool of the character referred to which is very simple, light, and durable, and which can be economically manufactured.

The invention will be readily understood from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is an elevation of a hog-nose cutter embodying my invention in the closed po sition. Fig. 2 is a similar view in fragment with jaws open. Figs. 3 and 4 are fragmentary views showing the meeting edges or faces of the jaws, and Fig. 5 is'a view showing the device in operation.

Referring to the drawings, 1 and 2 designate two cooperating members pivoted together at 3 tong fashion, said members in the preferred form being stamped out of sheet metal with portions 4 adapted to be folded over to form convenient handles and also to serve as limit-stops 5 to limit the opening capacity of the tool. The jaw portions 6 and 7 are provided with integral strengthening ribs or heads 8 9, struck up out of the material, said ribs or beads standing out on the remote sides of the jaw members, whereby the meet-ing surfaces of said jaw members at the pivot-point are smooth and free to move one upon the other.

10 designates a cutting-block mounted upon the end of the jaw member 6 and provided at its outer end with an aperture or notch 11, adapted to receive a point 12 upon the jaw 7 as said jaws are closed together. The point 12 moves into the notch 11 from the outer edge thereof, and as the jaws move into the closed position the inclined edge of said point gradually moves inwardly until it fully occupies the notch 11, and anything picked up between the point and the outer end of the cutting-block ismoved inwardly by the tapering side of the point as the jaws close until it rests squarely upon the cutting-block in the rear of the notch 11. This pick-up or penetrating point 12 is so shaped and so positioned that it will readily penetrate the skin and pass under the tendon when the latter is made to stand out under the skin by pressing downwardly on the tip of the snout in the manner shown in Fig. 5. I v

Mounted on each side of the jaw member 7 in the rear of the point 12 are two knifeblades 13 14, spaced apart a distance corresponding to the thickness of the sheet metal from which the jaws are made and adapted to close edgewise upon the cutting-block 10 in the manner clearly indicated in Fig. 1.

The operation of the device may be briefly stated as follows: By pressing downwardly upon the cartilage ring or tip of the snout the two tendons A B are stretched under the skin, so that they stand up distinctly. The construction of the point 12 and its position relative to the outer end of the cutting-block 10 is such that when the tool is held in the position shown in Fig. 5 and closed the point pierces the skin, passes under the tendon, and during the continued closing movement moves the tendon upwardly against the cutting-block in position for the knife-blades, which cut out a small section of the tendon as the tool is pressed together in the closed position, and the operation is completed in the one movement. The skin incision is slight and quickly heals, while the tendon will not grow together again, but leaves the hog powerless to work the tip of his snout, and thereby destroys his rooting propensities without torture or disfigurement. The tendons are usually out about two inches from the snout.

While I have herein shown and described 'the other of said jaws and adapted to close upon said cuttingblock, asharp pick-up point upon the end of one of said jaws and having intertitting engagement with the end of the other jaw When closed, said pick-up point being tapered to serve as a guide to move the thing operated upon onto the cutting-block during the closing movement of the jaws.

2. In a tool of the class described, the combination with the jaws thereof, of a cuttingblock provided With an aperture and mounted upon one of said jaws, a pair of knife-blades mounted upon the other jaw and adapted to close upon said cutting-block, a pick-up point projecting from between said blades and adapted to enter the aperture in said cuttingblock as said jaws are moved into the closed position, substantially as described.

3. In a hog-nose cutter, a pair of cooperating members stamped from sheet metal and pivoted together tong fashion and having portions folded over to form handles and limitstops, the jaw portions of said cutter being provided With integral strengthening ribs or beads extending longitudinally thereof, a cutting-block mounted upon one of said jaw members and provided With a notch or aperture in its outer end, a pair of blades spaced apart and mounted upon the other jaw member and adapted to close upon said cutting-block, and a pick-up point projecting from between the outer edges of said blades and so arranged that it enters the notch or aperture in said cuttingblock as said jaws are closed, substantially as A. F. SOHMID, CHAs. F. WHITE. 

